Geoconservation Research (Geoconserv. Res.)Rock Art Conservation and Geotourism: A practical example from Foum Chenna engravings site, MoroccoVolume 2 (2019)Issue 1, December 201920240113Rock Art Conservation and Geotourism: A practical example from Foum Chenna engravings site, Morocco10.30486/gcr.2019.664488ENMohamedAbiouiGeology Department, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco0000-0002-6331-1442LhassanM BarkiGeology Department, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, MoroccoMohammedBenssaouGeology Department, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, MoroccoAbdelkrimEzaidiGeology Department, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, MoroccoNezhaEl KamaliGeology Department, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, MoroccoJournal Article20240113The rock engravings, the subject of this article, are artistic representations made by people from cultural communities who no longer exist. The rock art was a way of expressing their thoughts, culture and beliefs, before the invention of writing. The engravings represent an archive of an ancient civilization which developed over thousands of years throughout North Africa, from the Atlantic to Egypt and from the Atlas Mountains to the Sahel. Morocco has more than 300 listed rock art sites, scattered throughout the country. Foum Chenna is a major site in the Anti-Atlas Mountains of southern Morocco. The engravings were predominantly made by pecking out images of human figures, animals and patterns, and the area today is the center of interest for the recently-formed Association of Rock Art Heritage of Southern Morocco, based in Zagora. Foum Chenna is a place of primary importance with more than 800 schematic engravings made using the pecked technique, a characteristic of this period. The majority of engravings which depict riders associated with zoomorphic and anthropomorphic representations, also, importantly, the numerous rock inscriptions recounting a scriptural tradition and reflecting the historical beginnings of Libyan writing, were today revitalized to transcribe the Tamazight language. The need to study and protect this heritage should not be limited to the preserve of just a few specialists. Knowledge of it can be used, with care, for sustainable human development. The rock art and other featuresmay make the region worthy of international recognition by UNESCO. In this paper, we look at Foum Chenna site from the perspective of geotourism and importance of the site for geoeducation, and the value of Foum Chenna site as geosite. Besides, soils, considered as some of the extraordinary manifestations of the culture of the Foum Chenna, are of huge scientific importance.Geoconservation Research (Geoconserv. Res.)Geoheritage Sites and Geoconservation at Pha Chan – Sam Phan Bok Geopark, Ubon Ratchathani Province, ThailandVolume 2 (2019)Issue 1, December 201920240113Geoheritage Sites and Geoconservation at Pha Chan – Sam Phan Bok Geopark, Ubon Ratchathani Province, Thailand10.30486/gcr.2019.664490ENVimoltipSingtuenDepartment of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Thailand0000-0002-5032-8771KritWon-InDepartment of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, ThailandJournal Article20240113The Pha Chan - Sam Phan Bok Geopark is at the easternmost part of Thailand and has the border with Laos. Furthermore, it is the most famous Mekong River Civilization area and dominated by sedimentary rocks of the Khorat Plateau. Different erosion rate produces spectacular landforms such as potholes, rapids, stacks, cliffs, and cascades. According to inventory, characterization, classification and evaluation, these landforms are highly valuable elements to the regional heritage especially in the Pha Taem Cliff, which has outstanding prehistoric rock art. This research is demonstrating in different approaches to manage and present the geoheritage sites to tourists so that geological processes can be understood and geomorphological heritage preserved by the general public.Geoconservation Research (Geoconserv. Res.)A Review of Geotourism and Geoparks: Is Africa missing out on this new mechanism for the development of sustainable tourism?Volume 2 (2019)Issue 1, December 201920240113A Review of Geotourism and Geoparks: Is Africa missing out on this new mechanism for the development of sustainable tourism?10.30486/gcr.2019.666592ENPercyMabvuto NgwiraZambia Embassy and Permanent Representative to UNWTO, 18 Avenue de Tourville 75007, Paris FranceJournal Article20240113This paper uses sustainable tourism development paradigm to demonstrate the economic, social-cultural and environmental potentialities presented by ‘Geotourism’ and its primary product ‘Geoparks’ in the quest for sustainable tourism development in Africa. Utilising secondary data sources, this study finds that; geotourism and geoparks are a relatively new phenomenon and subdivisions of geology and tourism. Though arguably still in the infancy stage and emerging as tourism niche markets awaiting further development and commercialisation, geotourism and geoparks have been credited as tools for sustainable tourism development with fundamental credentials to contribute to environmental, social-cultural and economic development for rural communities. Further findings indicate that despite Africa possessing so much geomorphological features and tourism potential the continent is lagging in exploiting opportunities presented by the geotourism and geoparks development. Therefore, this scholarship attempts to identify and examine sustainable tourism opportunities presented by geotourism and geoparks. Also, Africa’s challenges in the development of geotourism and geoparks are examined and the way forward proposed. The scholarship is valuable to tourism policy makers, planners, development practitioners and other tourism stakeholders in Africa.Geoconservation Research (Geoconserv. Res.)“Canaralele din Portul Hârșova”- Paleontological importance of the most representative Oxfordian geosite in Central Dobrogea, RomaniaVolume 2 (2019)Issue 1, December 201920240113“Canaralele din Portul Hârșova”- Paleontological importance of the most representative Oxfordian geosite in Central Dobrogea, Romania10.30486/gcr.2019.1878598.1014ENDelia-GeorgetaDumitraşGeological Institute of Romania, Bucharest, Romania0000-0001-9447-4183MohamedAbiouiGeology Department, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco0000-0002-6331-1442DianaPerşaGeological Institute of Romania, Bucharest, RomaniaMohamedAbiouiGeology Department, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco0000-0002-6331-1442Journal Article20240113“Canaralele din Portul Hârșova” geosite is integrated into ‘Canaralele Dunarii’ Natura 2000 site (ROSCI0022), and represents the northern part of the geologic profile in Jurassic deposits that is exposed along the Danube River valley between Hârșova and Capidava. This sector exhibits Middle and Upper Jurassic deposits, developed in biohermal (in situ spongalgal, coralgal reefs and stromatolits) and biostromal facies. All around Hârșova, on the right bank of the Danube, the landscape is dominated by ruiniform shapes of this spongalgal limestones, formed through differential dissolution. The Callovian and Oxfordian fossil fauna contents are of biostratigrafic and paleoecological importance.Geoconservation Research (Geoconserv. Res.)Saving a Legacy: Conservation of the paleontology resources within the Garden Park National Natural Landmark, Colorado, USAVolume 2 (2019)Issue 1, December 201920240113Saving a Legacy: Conservation of the paleontology resources within the Garden Park National Natural Landmark, Colorado, USA10.30486/gcr.2019.1879246.1015ENDanielGrenard1350 Ridgewood Court, Cañon City, Colorado 81212 USAKennethCarpenterDirector and Curator of Paleontology
Prehistoric Museum Associate Vice Chancellor Utah State University Eastern, USAAndrewSmithBureau of Land Management, Royal Gorge Field OfficeMelissaSmeinsBureau of Land Management, Royal Gorge Field OfficeJournal Article20240113The Garden Park National Natural Landmark in central Colorado U.S.A. was established for 40 acres (0.16 sq. km) by the U.S. National Park Service in 1973 in recognition of its historical and paleontological significance. It was here that rather complete dinosaur skeletons were first discovered in great abundance and diversity in the late 1800s, sparking a growth in worldwide interest in dinosaurs. The dinosaur quarries played an important part in the "Bone Wars" in the early history of American paleontology. Despite the National Natural Landmark designation, human-caused environmental deterioration continued. Not until passage of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) in 1976 did the Bureau of Land Management reassess the negative environmental impacts of public lands in Garden Park. A series of studies led to incremental protection of the environment and paleontological resources, beginning with the establishment of a Research Natural Area in 1987, then a larger Area of Critical Environmental Concern in 1996, and finally a greatly expanded National Natural Landmark in 2013. The multipurpose land usage mandated by FLPMA has at times resulted in conflicting goals in Garden Park. Over time, the local BLM has gradually increased protection of the paleontological resources, geological scenery and rare plants, while also providing educational and recreational opportunities.